Electric interrupter or vibrator.



No. 802, 80. PATENTED 00124, 1905.

Y J. E. SBELEY. ELECTRIC INTERRUPTER 0B VIBRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1. 1905.

U NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. SEELEY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO SYCHRO- NOUS STATIC CO., OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC INTERRUPTER OR VIBRATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1905.

flo aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES E. SEELEY, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Interrupters or Vibrators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an interrupter or vibrator. for use in an electric circuit and adapted to periodically interrupt such circuits. It is particularly adapted for use in X-ray and other high-tension-discharge apparatus, but may have other applications.

The main object of the invention is to provide convenient and effective means for regulating the frequency or periodicity of the interruption.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for accomplishing such regulation without influencing or changing the force of the impact on the contacts.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for giving a quick break or interruption. For this purpose the invention provides a construction whereby the contacts are normally held by spring connection and attraction of the armature apparatus to separate the contacts by the impact.

A further object of the invention is to provide means retaining the contact closed for a definite or variable time after the energization of the magnet and the initial movement of the armature to prevent the magnet from breaking the circuit before the inductance means has been fully energized.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. Figure 1 is an end elevation of the device with the fixed contact removed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan.

1 designates the actuating-magnet, which is included in any suitable circuit and is supported on a suitable base or board 2. A plate 3, preferably metallic, is secured to the base or board 2 and has enlargements 4 at each end to support the torsional device 5, to which is secured a bracket or arm 6, extending transversely to the torsional device 5 and carrying the armature 7 of magnet 1 and having an extension 6 beyond said armature. A spring 8, also attached to the arm or armature-carrier 6, carries at its upper end a contact 9, which normally engages with the contact 10,

the latter contact being relatively fixed and being formed, for example, as an adjustable screw working in a standard 11. The spring 8 extends in proximity to carrier-extension 6.

The torsional carrier 5 for the armature consists, preferably, of a ribbon of steel or other suitable material the ends of which are bent into and fastened in slots 12 in the ends of enlargements 4 of plate 3, screws 18 passing through said enlargements and said ribbon serving to hold the ribbon in place. One of the enlargements has a transverse groove or depression 14, over which the ribbon passes. A lever 15 is pivotally connected to said enlargement 4, as by engagement of its end under the head of the screw 13 at that end, said lever having a lug or transverse bar 16 extending over the ribbon above the depression 14 aforesaid, so that depression of said lever will act to press or bend the ribbon into the groove 14:, thereby tightening or stretching the part of the said ribbon which extends between the enlargements 4 and which carries the armature. Such depression of the lever may be effected by a screw 17, working in the enlargement 4: at the other end and having an operating-head 18 and a shoulder 19 engaging with the lever 15 to depress the same as the screw is lowered. Such lowering of the screw and consequent tightening of the ribbon 5 will increase the tension of the latter and correspondingly increase the rate or periodicity of vibration of said ribbon with the attached parts 6, 7 8, and 9.

The device is preferably arranged and adjusted in such manner that normally the contacts 9 and 10 are in contact, when the armature 7 will be somewhat separated from spring 8, and the torsion spring or ribbon 5 will be subsequently or approximately midway between its two extremes of vibration. The first effect of attraction of the armature? will therefore be to pull the torsion-spring for- Ward and to move the armature 7 toward the spring 8. The contact will remain closed until said armature actually strikes the spring 8 and by impact thereon carries the contact 9 away from the contact 10, thereby opening the circuit. The magnet then releasing its armature allows the torsion-spring to react and a back movement will ensue, bringing the contacts 9 and 10 together. The armature 7 will continue, however, to move in a backward direction, separating from the spring 8, nd the torsion-spring will by its elastic rebound pass beyond the normal or central position and cause a gradual increase of pressure of the contact 9 on the contact 10. Finally, the energy of the recoil being exhausted the torsion-spring will return to and pass its normal position and will act in conjunction with the magnetic force in again breaking the circuit. As above stated, increase of the tension of the ribbon 5 will increase the rate of vibration of the contactbreaker; but this variation will notbe accompanied by a corresponding increase of the force of impact, which remains substantially constant, and there is no liability of injury to the contacts by pounding even when the device is set for high periodicity. It is found that the rate of vibration can also be varied by adjustment of contact-screw 10.

\Vhile the vibrator above described is shown as used in connection with a circuitbreaker, it is applicable by obvious modification or rearrangement to operate as a circuitcloser, for example, in sl'iort-circuiting vibrations or generally in connection with any device where a variable periodicity of vibration is desired.

What I claim is- 1. An electric-circuit interrupter comprising a magnet, an armature therefor, a torsion-spring carrying said armature, and means for adjusting the tension of said torsionspring.

2. An electric-circuit interrupter comprising a magnet, an armature therefor, a torsion-spring consisting of a flat ribbon, an arm extending transversely from said ribbon and carrying said armature, and means for adj usting the tension of said ribbon.

3. An electrically-operated vibrator, comprising a magnet, an armature therefor, an elastic ribbon carrying said armature, means for controlling the tension of said ribbon, comprising supports for the end of the ribbon, intermediate bearings for the ribbon, and

depression means engaging the ribbon between said bearings.

4. An electrically-operated vibrator, comprising a magnet, an armature therefor, and an elastic ribbon carrying said armature, means for controlling the tension of said ribbon, comprising supports for the end of the ribbon, a depression-lever having a part ongaging the ribbon between said bearings, and an adjusting-screw engaging said lever.

5. An electric-circuit interrupter comprising a magnet, an armature therefor, an clastic ribbon carrying said armature, a spring on said armature, a contact carried by said spring and a fixed contact cooperating with the moving contact.

6. An electric-circuit interrupter comprising a magnet, an armature therefor, an armature-carrier having an extension beyond the armature, a spring on the carrier extending adjacent to said extension, so as to be impinged thereby when the armature is attracted, a contact on said spring, a fixed contact for engagement therewith, and holding the spring away from the extension, and re tracting means for the carrier.

'7. An electric-circuit interrupter comprising a magnet, an armature therefor, an armature-carrier having an extension beyond the armature, a spring on the carrier extending adjacent to said extension so as to be impinged thereby when the armature is attracted, a contact on said spring, a fixed con tact for engagement therewith, and holding the spring away from the extension and re tracting means for the carrier, consisting of a torsion-spring ribbon to which the carrier is connected, and means for adjustment of the tension of said ribbon.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Los Angeles, California, this 20th day of January, 1905.

' JAMES E. SEELEY.

In presence of A. P. KNIGHT, EARL A. R. LYNN. 

